Tuesday, April 7, 1998

EASTER DINNERS THAT INCLUDE CHICKEN POSE SALMONELLA DANGER

 

MANHATTAN -- Here comes Peter Cottontail, and with him the Easter holiday. Many families get together for the holiday season and the festivities usually include a big dinner. One Kansas State University professor, though, urges caution during this holiday season.

Chicken is not only a popular dish served during Easter, but baby chicks are often given as pets. Karen Penner, professor and extension specialist of food science notes that protecting against salmonella, a food-borne illness commonly transferred through poultry, is a concern for families at Easter.

There are many ways to protect against salmonella infection during food preparation.

* Make sure your kitchen is clean and sanitary. "A lot of times we look at a surface or our hands and if we don't see any visible dirt we think, 'oh, that's safe," Penner said. "But washing kitchen countertops, utensils and dishes is really important. The kitchen should be a healthy place to prepare food."

* Wash hands with warm soapy water when working with fresh meat. "There have been a number of studies done on hand-washing and actually only about 50 percent of people wash their hands after using the restroom. That's a bit alarming when you think about all the people that prepare and fix food for you. Even people who know better often use the restroom and don't wash their hands.

"So it's important to do that at home just as it's important if you're working in the food industry. A general rule of thumb is to wash hands with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds. Now that is a very long time and I challenge anyone to, next time you wash their hands after using the restroom, time yourself with your watch and see how long 20 seconds is."

* Use a good quality cutting board that can be sanitized when working with fresh meat, replace it often and use a separate cutting board for other food. "I prefer using a nonporous plastic cutting board that is dishwasher safe. With use, cutting boards will get deep grooves. Those grooves are a good place for bacteria to grow and multiply so at some point it's important to get rid of those old boards and start over. Make sure to wash the cutting board and sanitize it before using it for something else. The preferred thing to do is have separate cutting boards for raw meats and things like fresh vegetables."

* Avoid eating raw eggs or products made with raw eggs. "In the early '90s, the Food and Drug Administration declared that fresh, intact egg shells were potentially hazardous foods. They recommended that people not eat them runny and that we not eat any undercooked eggs or egg products. So that includes Caesar salad dressing made the traditional way, products like homemade ice cream, soft-cooked eggs and other similar dishes."

* Cook poultry at the proper temperature. "Salmonella bacteria can be killed by proper cooking. For consumers preparing poultry at home, cooking the raw poultry to 180 degrees is recommended, and test for doneness using a thermometer you can insert in the largest muscle. Check the temperature in several places to make sure it's done."

* Finally, refrigerating leftovers is very important. "After cooking and serving poultry, it is important to chill it properly. Don't leave it sitting around all evening or overnight. Put leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as the meal is done to make sure that it cools quickly and thoroughly so that it will be safe to eat the next day," Penner said.

Food preparation is not the only concern when protecting yourself from salmonella. Baby chicks, a common Easter gift, can also transfer the illness.

"I wouldn't recommend giving children baby chicks or any kind of bird as an Easter present. Chickens of any age can carry salmonella. When we think about children handling pets, they often pick things up and then put their fingers in their mouths and don't think about washing their hands. Or they may play with the pet and then go grab something to eat and transfer the bacteria from their hands to the food and then put the food in their mouths.

"If you do have birds or baby chicks around, after you handle them you should wash your hands very thoroughly. Sometimes adults don't even do that. So you'd have to be very vigilant with small children to make sure they always washed their hands after handling a pet chick," Penner said.

According to Penner, there are some people who are more susceptible to salmonella bacteria because they are more susceptible to any infectious illness.

"There are some groups that are at risk for salmonella food borne illness and should not expose themselves unnecessarily to harmful bacteria. These would be older people, infants and young children, people who may be getting chemotherapy, or people who have AIDS."

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For more information, contact Karen Penner at 785-532-1672.